The present invention concerns breast pumps for extracting and collecting milk from a mother's breast, and more particularly concerns an electrically operated breast pump configured for comfortable, convenient, and safe use, as well as for easy cleaning and improved function.
In breast pumps, it is very important that the device be comfortable to use and operate so that the process of extracting milk is as frustration-free and natural as possible. Typically, a constant vacuum adjustment control and a vacuum pulsing control are provided. However, many of these vacuum controls on breast pumps are not located for convenient manipulation while using the breast pump. Thus, either the mother must interrupt her use of the breast pump to adjust the vacuum or must at least use two hands and/or also look at the breast pump to operate the controls.
Another problem is that many known breast pumps are large and/or bulky. Not only do they take up "too much" space, but large breast pumps tend to be awkward to operate. Recently, breast pumps have been designed that are more compact. However, many of the compact breast pumps are top-heavy and unbalanced. Top-heavy and unbalanced breast pumps can be uncomfortable to use. Also, they are often not stable when rested on a flat surface such as a table or countertop. For example, unstable breast pumps tend to tip over when rested on a flat surface, causing milk to wash against the suction unit on the breast pump. This can cause a sanitation problem and further can cause mechanical/functional problems, such as when milk enters and clogs the suction pump of the breast pump. The tendency of a breast pump to tip over also can be very frustrating to a mother.
Yet another problem is the difficult disassemble/assembly required by many breast pumps. In particular, those breast pumps that are securely interconnected as a unit tend to require a cumbersome disassembly in order to properly clean and sanitize all parts. Contrastingly, those breast pumps that are easy to disassemble are not as securely interconnected as desired. Thus, a stable attachment mechanism is desired that provides quick disassembly, secure interconnection and which is sanitary and easy to clean.
Another problem with many breast pumps is that their funnels are not adapted to sealingly engage the shapes and sizes of different mother's breasts. Merely providing at a large diameter funnel is not an adequate solution since the funnel must flex and resiliently bend to receive a mother's nipple and breast without losing the sealing engagement that allows the vacuum to be drawn. Some funnels have been designed with undulated or curved sidewalls, however, further improvement is desired to control the flexing of the funnel wall so that the desired flexing occurs without concurrent loss of comfort or functionality.
Thus, a breast pump solving the aforementioned problems is desired, including the ability to satisfy the preferences and physical needs of different mothers.